Author: C.B.
A wise man once said, and I quote: “If you, a child of God, marry an unsaved person, a child of Satan, you can be sure that you will have trouble with your father-in-law “the Devil himself.”
One of the greatest tragedies of today-one of the most critical problems we face is MIXED MARRIAGES-the union of believers and unbelievers. Every day, some Christian young lady or young man kicks over the traces, rejects the Bible teaching against the unequal yoke, and walks down the aisle with a person who has spurned the Son of God and refuses to live a Christian life.
“But I can’t help it, I’m in love with him,” Christian young ladies protest. “I don’t want to lose him, so I’m going to marry him and try to win him over to Christ.”
But is such reasoning sensible? Can you expect God to bless your disobedience? Can you expect your marriage to succeed when it already has two strikes against it? There are enough problems to solve in marriage without inviting trouble over religion.
I Corinthians 7:39 tells us to “marry in the Lord.” That means to seek out a Christian companion, one with whom you can share your entire personality and life. As Nelson Veltman said, “It means to be one in the Lord. Your proposed mate may have ‘all it takes’ in personality, appearance, and like interests. Yet if he or she is not zealous for the faith, you will be separated ‘in the spirit’ although ‘one in the flesh.’ God’s glory and your life are at stake! Obedience to the commands of the Lord brings Him great glory and endless happiness to your home. On the contrary, disrespect for your Father’s Word dishonors God and mars your happiness. You have only one life to live on earth and normally one mate to choose. Marriage is a life-partnership. Your home will be shaped directly by your choice of a companion . . . You are not on this earth to seek selfish joy. God placed you here to glorify Him. When both husband and wife are one in faith and spirituality, there is a symphony of praise ascending to God. Such a home is a bulwark for the Church and the work of God.”
Some of you are unmarried young people. May I have your closest attention for a few moments? Let me tell you, after years as a pastor and counselor, that if you could see the tears I have seen shed; if you could hear the regrets I have heard from the lips of people who have married unbelievers; if you could know their loneliness and emptiness, you would never think twice about even dating an unsaved person. The Bible says that “the way of the transgressor is hard.” You can’t play with sin and expect to win. There is only one way to be happy in Jesus and that is “trust and obey.”
Marriage is more than a handsome Romeo or delightful Juliet sweeping you off your feet. Looks fade, and personality can flicker and die. The lasting thing in marriage is mutual sharing of love and devotion. I suppose all of you have heard of Mark Twain, that brilliant American humorist and author. Well, he fell in love with Olivia L. Langdon, a young lady who had been reared in a Christian home, and possessed definite religious convictions. Yet, in spite of her religious teaching, she married Mark Twain, who was far from being an ardent believer. In fact, he is generally considered an agnostic. Because of his love for her though, he did join in asking the blessing and took part in family devotions. But this did not last for long. One day Mark Twain burst out, “Honey . . . I don’t believe in the Bible.”
Little by little, his unbelief exerted a deadening influence on his wife’s spiritual life. In a time of sorrow, he said, “Livy, if it comforts you to lean on the Christian faith, do so.” She sadly replied, “I can’t-I haven’t any faith left.”
This is not an isolated case. Mixed marriages take a regular toll. Marrying an unbeliever is asking for trouble. God help you, and your family, to obey God’s Holy Word in II Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: . . .” May you not learn the hard way the tragedy of MIXED MARRIAGES.
